To claim UIF, a domestic worker gets a UI19 form and salary details from their employer, registers as a work seeker, and applies online on UIF Online or in person at a Labour Centre. Apply within 12 months of the job ending. The claim only works if the employer registered the worker for UIF and declared them every month, so employers have an important part to play. Claiming UIF is free.
Who can claim
A domestic worker can claim UIF if:
- They worked more than 24 hours a month for the employer
- The employer registered them for UIF and paid it
- They lost their job through no fault of their own, for example they were dismissed, retrenched, their contract ended, or their employer died
- They have been out of work for more than 14 days and are able to work
A worker cannot claim unemployment benefits if they resign, unless the CCMA (the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration) finds it was really a dismissal. They can still claim for maternity or illness while they are employed.
If a worker works for more than one household and loses one of those jobs, they may still be able to claim for the income they lost. Ask at the Labour Centre.
What UIF pays for
- Unemployment: when the job ends
- Maternity: while on maternity leave
- Illness: when the worker is off sick for 7 days or more and is not being paid for it
- Death of the worker: the worker's family can claim
This guide focuses on unemployment claims. Maternity and illness claims follow the same steps, with different supporting documents.
Step 1: Get documents from the employer
When the job ends, the employer must give the worker:
- A UI19 form, which confirms that the job has ended and why
- Salary details for the last 6 months, on a UI2.7 form or as payslips
The employer must also keep declaring the worker to UIF correctly up to the last day of work.
Step 2: Register as a work seeker
For an unemployment claim, the worker must register as someone looking for work. Do this online on the Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) website at essa.labour.gov.za, or at any Labour Centre.
Step 3: Get the other documents ready
- South African ID, or passport and work permit
- The UI19 and salary details from Step 1
- Bank details: a UI2.8 form stamped by the bank, or a bank letter with the account details
- Proof of work seeker registration from Step 2
For maternity, the worker also needs a medical certificate (UI2.3) and, after the birth, the baby's birth certificate. For illness, they need a medical certificate (UI2.2). For both, the employer fills in a UI2.7 with the worker's pay.
Step 4: Apply
There are two ways to apply:
- Online at uifonline.labour.gov.za. Register with an ID number, cellphone number and email address, answer the questions, and upload the documents. Save the reference number at the end. (The old uFiling site no longer takes worker claims.)
- In person at your nearest Labour Centre. Take all the documents with you. A worker who is not South African may need to apply in person.
Apply within 12 months of the last day of work. The UIF can accept a late claim if there is a good reason. For illness, apply within 6 months of the illness starting. For maternity, apply before or after the birth, but within 12 months after it.
Step 5: Keep the claim going
Once a complete claim is in, the Department aims to approve it within 20 working days and pay 7 to 10 working days after that. After that, payments come every 28 days. The UIF may ask the worker to confirm regularly that they are still unemployed. If this is missed, payments can stop. Check the claim status on UIF Online, or ask at the Labour Centre.
How much UIF pays
For job loss and illness, UIF pays between 38% and 60% of what the worker earned. People who earn less get a higher percentage. The worker builds up one day of benefit for every five days worked, up to 365 days over the last four years. Maternity pays 66% of earnings for up to 121 days (about four months), and does not use up the days saved for a later unemployment claim.
The money goes into the worker's bank account, so the account must be in the worker's own name.
If the employer will not give the UI19
Go to the Labour Centre anyway and explain. The Department of Employment and Labour can follow up with the employer. It is the employer's legal duty to give these documents.
If the employer never registered or declared the worker, the worker can still claim. The Department can treat them as a contributor, but the claim is slower until the employer's record is fixed.
If the employer uses AskMandla
AskMandla registers the worker for UIF, declares them every month, and keeps every payslip. When the job ends, we prepare the UI19 for the employer on WhatsApp so they can hand it to the worker. All the payslips the worker needs are in the employer's AskMandla profile.
Getting help
The UIF call centre is on 0800 030 007, weekdays from 07:30 to 16:00. If your employer uses AskMandla, or you want help with UIF as an employer, message us on WhatsApp and say "UIF help".